Author Archives

• So, what do you do all day?

  By Julie Callahan on March 10, 2014 • ( 0 )

  

  I stumbled upon this linguistic quagmire during my conversation class when a man questioned the meaning of this pervasive Americanism. In order to define the phrase, I described a typical Saturday morning in my days of yore life: dashing to… Read More ›

• The Music Venues of Budapest, Hungary

  By Julie Callahan on March 6, 2014 • ( 3 )

  

  I picked my words carefully when I jotted down our passions last month: “Classical Music Venues.” Pat loves the music. I love the pomp and pageantry of the evening; well heeled patrons, halls with an empire panache. I’ll stay for… Read More ›

• The First Step: Downsizing

  By Julie Callahan on March 1, 2014 • ( 5 )

  

  Inertia: that force which prevents man from shedding his stuff – one of the most powerful forces on the planet. For years Pat and I talked about downsizing. Yet for years we never moved past talk. Then the housing market… Read More ›

• A Neon-Orange Card Lays out My Plan to Retirement, But It’s Scary

  By Julie Callahan on February 22, 2014 • ( 7 )

  

  The only thought more stressful than continuing to work is the idea of retiring. For the past six years, I maintained a low tech retirement countdown on a bright orange index card – a list of milestones. Twice each year,… Read More ›

• Healthy habits living abroad

  By Julie Callahan on February 20, 2014 • ( 5 )

  

  My primary care physician is Web MD. I made the switch after our first doctor’s visit in Slovakia. As Pat recounted his medical history, the doctor stared back quizzically and then admitted, “I don’t know what any of that is.”… Read More ›